水资源匮乏是当今许多国家和地区面临的难题……
A new report says one-third of all people in the world face some form of water shortage. Experts had warned this would happen—but not until 2025.
Sometimes the shortages are caused by too much water use. Ground- water levels fall; rivers get drier and drier. Other times the water is there, but communities do not have the resources to get enough.
The report is called the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture. It was released on Monday at World Water Week in
The report examines fifty years of policies and practices in water use and development in agriculture. 700 experts around the world gathered the information over the past five years.
Farming uses a lot of water, but it may be surprising just
Where the water is stored may also be surprising. 65% of all fresh- water is held in soil, the result of rain. 35% is in rivers and lakes and in deep underground.
The researchers call for more productive use of rainwater. 70% of all cropland depends on rain. Capturing rainwater and using plowing methods that save water are two ways to make better use of each liter of rain that falls.
The report identifies areas where better use of water could do the most good. These include poor areas. Investments in water resources could help at least 800,000,000 people who depend on farming but have limited water supplies.
The report says areas where competition for water is high—like
Irrigation(灌溉) projects in undeveloped areas can change local economies. And, finally, developed areas where water resources have been overused need new plans to limit decreasing supplies.
The report says better use of water through irrigation has helped to increase grain productivity and economic growth. But world demand for food is expected to almost double by two thousand fifty as the population grows. That means farmers will need to do even more to use water productively.
Thinking：
Do you have any good ideas to save water?
作者：佚名
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